Journey back to the 16th century at the time-honored Andong Hahoe Folk Village. Experience an ancient Korean way of life while peeking inside quaint houses, dining on local delicacies and watching a mask dance. Andong Hahoe Folk Village is a living village where residents carry out their daily routines as people did during the Joseon Dynasty. In 2010 it became a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The name Hahoe is a blend of two words that mean river (ha) and hoe (turn around). Aristocratic tiled-roof houses and humble thatched-roof dwellings sit on a bend of the Nakdong River. They are laid out in a geomantic pattern that mimics a lotus flower. Notable Korean scholars Gyeomam Ryu Un-ryong and Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong were born in the village.
Visit a selection of the houses and their gardens, which showcase an authentic image of the Joseon era. Many remain as private residences while others have been converted into craft workshops, restaurants and souvenir shops. Another is a shrine of Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong’s books. Pause to sample regional delicacies such as Andong gangodeungeo (salted mackerel) and Andong guksu (noodle soup).
Hahoe is famous for the Hahoe mask, believed to be the oldest mask in Korea. Learn more at the Hahoe Mask Museum. Shamanistic-style shows featuring masked dancers take place regularly and in fall the village explodes into color during the Andong Mask Dance Festival.
Take the boat across the river to the foot of Buyongdae Cliff, where a trail leads to the cliff’s summit and a bird’s-eye view of the village, pine forests and sandy river beaches.
Andong Hahoe Folk Village is open daily and there’s an admission fee. It is about a 1-hour drive from the center of Andong and there’s a public bus service from the city. Parking is available at the village’s entrance. Tour operators in Seoul run daytrips to the village and other major attractions in the Andong region.
